Title

Author

Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Business Administration

Advisor

Romuel Nafarrete

Abstract

Many small real estate business leaders lack effective strategies to resume and sustain operations in a postnatural-disaster environment. This multiple case study investigated strategies that 3 small real estate business leaders in southeastern Louisiana used to resume and sustain operations in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The chaos theory and stakeholder theory were the conceptual frameworks for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, and reviews of business continuity plan documents and member checking. The themes that emerged from data analysis were leaders' strategies relating to business planning and innovation, stakeholder engagement, operations management, and disaster responsiveness. Implications of the findings of this study for social change include identification of effective strategies for increasing the sustainability of small businesses in the real estate industry through implementation of proven business continuity strategies that might help keep communities intact, reestablish commerce, and contribute to regional economic sustainability in the aftermath of a natural disaster.